Right. Teardrop.
“Kayla.” I put my hands on my hips and look down at the floor.
“Sorry about that.” He starts to laugh again, as if uncontrollable.
“It’s fine.” I grab the hand towel off the oven handle and drop it over the leaky egg carton. “How did you get in here?”
“I walked through the front door.”
“Right, never locked,” I remind myself as I bend over and wipe up some yolk. Riley saunters into the other room as I trash the towel and grab Reese’s omelet.
“How bad?” I walk in on the middle of their conversation.
“It’s fucked up but fixable.”
“What is?” I hand Reese a fork and the plate.
“His bike.” Riley clues me in. “It’s trashed, but I can fix it. Just needs some new parts. I’ll order them tonight and have them shipped to the shop.”
“Sweet.” Reese takes a bite of the omelet. “If you have any issues, let me know. I’ll make a call.” He speaks with his mouth full. “Blech.” He makes a sour face and spits out a shell.
“Oops. How did that happen?” I react pseudo-sweetly. He glares up at me, but the look in his eyes is more entertained than annoyed. It really was an accident but so satisfying in the moment.
Reese takes another bite, this time unscathed. “This is actually really good once you get past the nails.”
“Glad you approve.” I couldn’t care less if he likes my cooking or not; he’s stuck with it for the next eight weeks.
Riley laughs again, his cackle hitting an all-time high.
“Relax, dude.” Reese chuckles himself, the sounds clearly infectious.
“I can’t help it. I like her.” Riley elbows me.
Glad someone does.
“What’s up with your friend?” I ask as I help Reese to stand. He needs to walk around to keep his muscles warm and avoid bed sores.
“Riley? He’s harmless. He’s been crazy like that ever since I met him.”
“How long have you known each other?” I ease the crutches under his arms and encourage him to move.
“God. Forever. Him and Knight. It’s always been the four of us. The Mad Hatter, Knight Rider, the Phantom, and the Doctor.”
“I take it Dev’s the doctor?”
“Yup. Pretty funny, huh? Never would have thought when we gave him that nickname he’d actually become an M.D.” Reese winces as he hobbles around the room. Judging by his frustrated grunts, it’s clear his recovery isn’t happening as fast as he would like.
“Why do you call him the doctor?” I keep him talking.
Reese chuckles. “When he was ten, a teacher at school caught him with a girl. They were on the auditorium stage behind the curtain. Dev was sliding her underwear down her legs, and when the teacher asked what he thought he was doing, Dev replied, ‘Playing Operation” Reese cracks up. “He’s been the doctor ever since.”
“Fitting. The story and nickname.”
“That was just the first of many doctor stories.”
“Please spare me the recap. I’ve already seen Dev play doctor in more ways than one.”
“Oh yeah?” Reese turns around and begins the trek back to me. “You and Dev ever play doctor and nurse naked?”
“Dear. God. No.”
“Why not? Not into my brother?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like? You had no problems playing nurse with me.”
I sigh, annoyed. “Are you ever going to let me live that down?”
“Never. But really? Why aren’t you into my brother?” he nags.
“I never said I wasn’t into him.”
“So you are into him?” he twists my words.
“Reese? What are you, twelve? Turning everything I say upside down?”
“Sometimes.” He laughs. “I need to entertain myself.”
“At my expense?”
“Yours and Dev’s.”
“You’re an ass.”
“To thine own self be true.”
“Please spare me. If you’re so bored, read a book. Use this time to educate yourself on a new subject. Manners, perhaps? Or maybe even common courtesy.”
“Nah, who needs those?”
“I guess not you when you have the world falling at your feet.”
“Yupppp.” Reese almost goes down, but I grab him just in time. “Damn.” He holds onto me as he tries to collect his bearings.
“What happened?” I guide him over to the bed.
“Just got a shooting pain in my leg all of a sudden. It’s gone now.”
I lay him down and grab him some water.
“Here. Maybe you should eat some more. Keep your strength up.”
“Yeah.” He nods with his eyes closed, the glass in one hand and the other over his heart.
“One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand.” He counts quietly.
“Reese? Are you okay?” I feel his forehead for a fever.
“I’m fine.” He opens his eyes, but his look is vacant. “I think I just need some sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll start dinner. Dev should be home soon anyway.”
“Good idea.” He closes his eyes again and breathes shallowly.
I watch him for a few long seconds. He looks a little pale and weathered all of a sudden.
“Reese—” Just as I touch his shoulder, I hear the roar of an exhaust. I pull my hand back before Dev walks through the door. I meet him in the kitchen.
“How was your day?” he asks as he places his helmet back in the closet and kicks off his shoes. I watch sort of intrigued. For a moment, our interaction feels almost domestic. It’s very strange and surprisingly arousing.
“Eventful,” I inform him.
“Oh yeah?” He saunters over to me, and my insides actually stir.
“I watched my first motorcycle race, met the Mad Hatter formally, and helped Reese nearly avoid falling on his face.”
“That is an eventful day.” Dev is a breath away from me, fiddling with a strand of my hair.
Jesus, these two are going to be the death of me.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, attempting to deter the building tension.
“Oh, I’m starving.” Heat flashes in his eyes.
I walked right into that one.
“You’re home five seconds, and you’re already hitting on me?”
“I can’t help it.” He leans into me. “My bed is just so close. It’s calling to me to drag you into it.”
I step back, desperately trying to suppress my smirk. I do not want to encourage him.
“Down, boy.”
“Oh. You’re sexy as hell when you put me in my place.” He toys with me. Before I have a chance to respond, a groggy Reese is calling for his brother.
Dev nearly flies out of the room.
“Kayla, would you mind starting dinner?” Dev asks, almost in an attempt to keep me out of the room.
“Was just about to.” I peek in to see Dev and Reese speaking quickly and quietly.
Reese glances over at me then leans his head closer to Dev so I can’t see his face. What the fuck is that clandestine conversation about? I suddenly feel like an unwelcomed outsider.
I decide to throw together something for the two of them to eat and then get the hell out of here. I’ve had enough Dane drama for today.
I find some spaghetti in the pantry and a jar of sauce. Perfect. Quick and easy.
Once the water is boiling, I drop in the long sticks and warm the sauce in the microwave. I’m itching to leave, and by the time dinner is done, Dev and Reese have finished talking.
“Dinner is on the stove.” I poke my head into the dining room to find Dev lounging in the chair next to Reese just watching TV. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Hey!” Dev sits up. “Aren’t you going to have dinner with us? You made it. You should at least stay to eat it.”
“I don’t think so.” I retreat into the kitchen to make an escape.
I think about it, and I haven’t.
I sigh, resigned.
“Go on.” He gestures with his head. “Go sit next to Reese and I’ll serve.”
“I don’t—”
“For God’s sake, Kayla, get your ass in here!” Reese barks.
I peer into the dining room, perturbed. “I can’t be held responsible for my actions if I stay.” I poke Dev in his very hard chest.
“I promise I won’t hold a thing against you.”
“Good.” I stomp back through the house and plop down in the seat next to Reese.
He smiles obnoxiously.
“Please,” I sneer.
“Oh, nasty,” he patronizes me.
“You haven’t even seen nasty.”
“I wish you would show me,” Reese expels under his breath.
I punch him in the leg as Dev walks into the room. He laughs in pain.
“You’re going to pay for that. One way or another.” His eyes flash with something deliciously dark, and my stomach quivers.
Fuck, I hope so. I mean hope not!
Dev pulls the table closer to Reese and me, making quick work of the cutlery and glassware. After that, he materializes with three plates.
“Are you a waiter or something?” I help him with his balancing act.
“Or something. A million years ago. I had to support myself somehow in college.”
He hands Reese a plate then runs into the kitchen one more time. When he returns, he has an opened bottle of red wine. He pulls the cork out with his teeth and pours me a glass, then himself.
“You can’t have any,” he taunts Reese.
“Oh no, say it isn’t so. I can’t have any crappy vino,” he replies dryly, slurping up his spaghetti. “The vinegar would probably burn my taste buds.”
God, what a redneck snob. He is unlike any man I have ever met.
“How have you put up with him your whole life?” I ask Dev, completely serious.
“I have no idea. Luckily, I only had to live with him for eighteen years.”
“That sounds like a prison sentence.” We converse casually.
“It was.”
“You know I’m right here?” Reese reminds us exasperated.
“We know.” Dev smiles, clearly amused.
“Laugh it up now. You two are going to miss me when I’m gone.”
“I highly doubt that. Maybe we should put up a countdown calendar just to show you how much we can’t wait until you leave.” I suck a noodle though my lips, mockingly.
Reese squints at me. “Smartass!” He flings a forkful of spaghetti at me.
I laugh and scream all at the same time. Then I retaliate.
“Look who’s taking? You’re incapable of being nice!”
Spaghetti starts flying back and forth with Dev dying on the sidelines. Loud, deep bellyaching laughter ringing around us.
Reese and I both pause, realizing Dev is still clean as a whistle and then simultaneously turn our attack on him.
The assault turns into an all-out spaghetti three-way.
By the time everything calms down, there are strings of spaghetti in my hair, on the walls, and red sauce smeared all over our clothes. It looks like we barely survived a bloodbath.
I don’t know how or why, but the tension breaks amidst the laughter, and I suddenly find myself bound to these two men in a way I can’t measure. A way that’s not seen but felt.
“You have one . . .” Dev pulls a piece of spaghetti from the collar of my V-neck t-shirt.
“That was my hit,” Reese declares proudly, sucking up some pasta.
Dear God. What have I gotten myself into?
I wipe off the sauce from my chest and change into the shirt Dev lent me. It’s about three sizes too big, but I improvise and tie a knot on the side with the excess material. When I walk out of the bathroom, I come face-to-face with two gorgeous, shirtless twins who are inked all over.
Holy. Fuck.
Dev is moving around the room cleaning up while Reese lounges with his hands behind his head on the bed.
Don’t look, don’t look, don’t . . . Too late. My eyes nearly swallow their bodies whole. Both ripped and bulging in all the right places.
I shove down the desire as I’m lashed over and over by dual Apollo’s belts. You know, those V-shaped muscles men have that make women stupid.
Yeah. Right now, I’m a fucking idiot.
“Looks like you’re just about done here.” I grab the empty plates and bring them into the kitchen.
Dev follows with a wad of dirty paper towels. “Looks good.”
“What does?” I drop the dishes into the sink.
“My shirt on you.” He tugs at the knot, running his finger provocatively over the top of my jeans where my skin is exposed.
“You have no shame.”
“No, not when it comes to you.” Dev leans in closer, and my breathing ceases to exist.
Even though his lips only lightly brush mine, they feel like an anchor trapping my wading emotions.
“Dev.” I place my hands on his chest and sink my fingernails into his skin. I’ve never seen him shirtless before. Pantless, yes, but shirtless . . . He’s breathtaking, just like Reese. A sleeve covers his entire right arm, the skin made to look like it’s shredded with writing peeking out underneath. The tattoo reaches all the way up to his neck with another down his side and one over his ribs. Both inscriptions.
“What does this say?” I point to his arm.
He places a palm over his triceps. “Lyrics to my favorite song.”
“Which is?”
“Fuel by Metallica. I went through a bit of a heavy metal phase in high school.”
I’ve never heard it, but I’m making a point to listen to it when I leave.
“What about this one?” I graze his ribs lightly; Dev sucks in his stomach in reaction to my touch.
“It’s Latin,” he informs breathy. “It reads ‘If I can’t move heaven, I will raise hell.’”
“I like it.” I tickle my fingertip over his skin to the Roman numerals running vertically down his side. “And this?”
“It’s the date I officially became a doctor.” He presses my hand over the ink, linking us together. I breathe raggedly, the warmth of his body about to give me heatstroke.
Fuck, he’s so gorgeous and irresistible, especially when he’s this close, tempting me like a goddamn devil.
If Reese wasn’t in the other room, and what happened between us didn’t haunt me, I’d say fuck it all and jump Dev, right here right now.
But I don’t. I gain some composure and back away.
“Kayla,” Dev protests, but I need to stick to my guns.
“I need to go.”
“You need to stay.”
I shake my head. That is the worst possible idea. I know exactly where I’d end up. And I’m just not prepared to go there.
“Tell Reese I’ll see him tomorrow.”
Dev watches reluctantly as I keep backing away, his eyes full of lustful unrest.
I slip out soundlessly, my entire body throbbing.
Once parked in my driveway, I sit in my truck in the dark, and just to torture myself further, I download Fuel by Metallica and listen to each and every energetic word. It’s getting harder and harder to resist him. As the bass pounds through my speakers, I come to the realization that one day very soon, I’m going to fall into the pitch-black ravine that is Devlin Dane and become lost forever.
Dev
Today felt like the longest day of my life.
I open the throttle and accelerate down the backcountry road. Only rolling hills and green pastures for miles. The only other living soul I encounter is the occasional grazing cow. I speed up and down the countryside leaning into the sharp curves as the serenity of the backcountry helps clear my head. I’ve missed this. The wide o
pen, untouched land. The beauty of nowhere. I lived the fast life, working in a big city. But it wasn’t the fast I was looking for. I wanted more freedom and less pretentious attitude. I wanted to be where people were genuine, and what you saw was what you got. And I knew exactly where to find that. The place I grew up. It may not be fancy. There are no strip malls or shopping outlets, but the main road through town has two decent restaurants and a few small, -family-owned shops. It’s simple and uncomplicated. To most, it may not be much, but to me it’s home.
I pull up to the road that leads to my house a little later than usual. It’s almost dark, but not quite. There’s still enough light to see Kayla sitting on the front porch as the night sky creeps in over our heads.
I park my bike right in front of her and hop off. I don’t take her sitting out here with a beer as a good sign.
“Rough day?” I take a seat next to her.
“You could say that.” She takes a long sip from the bottle.
“I have a cure for that.”
“Do tell?” She entertains me.
“A rough night.” I smile suggestively.
She grunts and rolls her eyes. “I’ll pass.”
“In no mood, huh?”
“Nope.” She smacks her lips.
“How bad was it?” I read her tense body language.
“Let’s just say I would rather hear nails being dragged down a chalkboard than hear him call my name again.”
“That bad?”
“I don’t think those extra pain meds you gave him are working. He was ultra-irritable today. I couldn’t do anything to make him comfortable. He drove me crazy. Has he always been such an entitled, ornery ass?” She carries a hint of humor in her tone, but not nearly enough to convey she’s joking.
“Surprisingly, no. He definitely has his diva moments, but normally, he’s tolerable. Even likable sometimes.”
“I couldn’t imagine.” Kayla laughs lightly with the rim of the glass bottle to her lips.
“Speaking of, what’s Reese doing?” The house is eerily quiet.
“Napping. Finally.” She drops her head back.
I want to empathize. I know Reese is being a bigger handful than usual. “Try to cut him a little bit of slack.” I slide closer to her, continuously picking up whiffs of her coconut shampoo in the soft breeze. “His career was just sidelined and being back here doesn’t really dredge up the fondest memories.”
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